Vacuum head for sweeping swimming pools



p 0, 1966 w. R. LEVACK 3,273,188

VACUUM HEAD FOR SWEEPING SWIMMING POOLS Filed July 23, 1965 INVENTOR. W41. 75 2 ,8 15mm BY p Unite States Patent Ofifice Patented Sept. 20, 1966 3,273,188 VACUUM HEAD FOR SWSEEPING SWllVIMlNG POOL Walter R. Levack, 258 Avalonia St., Playa del Rey, Calif. Filed July 23, 1965, Ser. No. 474,270 8 Claims. (Cl. 15-1.7)

The present invention relates to a vacuum head for cleaning the bottoms of swimming pools by sucking water through the head from adjacent the bottom surface of the pool to include in its flow stream sand, dirt, small particulate and the like, which has deposited on the pool bottom.

Conventional vacuum heads for swimming pools are formed mainly of metal of relatively rigid construction. While jointed heads are known, they are of complicated and expensive construction and do not readily conform to curved surfaces at or near the pool bottom. Also, the metal vacuum heads have a tendency to chip and mar the plaster surface of the pool which is very undesirable.

The vacuum head according to the present invention is made of a flexible plastic material, such as polyethylene and the like, and while substantially rigid transversely, is flexible longitudinally to conform to curved surfaces on and adjacent to the pool bottom. The vacuum head is desirably in the form of a main body platform having integrally-molded, upstanding, transverse ribs which serve to rigidify the platform transversely while permitting it to flex longitudinally. Certain of the transverse pairs of ribs may also function to mount supporting rollers spaced relatively closely longitudinally of the vacuum head so that despite its longitudinal flexibility, it will not be drawn down into rubbing contact with the bottom surface of the pool.

A downwardly directed edge flange extends around the vacuum head to form a suction chamber between the platform body of the head and the bottom surface of the pool, and in a preferred embodiment, this under-chamber may have ribs of small thickness depending thereinto from the under surface of the platform body to divide the main chamber into suction channels and direct the flow of water therealong. The vacuum head is desirably weighted by means of lead or other heavy weights so that it will follow the contour of the bottom surface of the pool.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved vacuum head for cleaning the bottoms of swimming pools which is of flexible plastic material.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved vacuum head for cleaning the bottom of swimming poles which is of flexible plastic material reinforced to be rigid in a transverse direction, while free to flex longitudinally to follow a curved surface.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved vacuum head for cleaning the bottom of swimming pools which is of flexible plastic material having transverse, integrally-molded reinforcing ribs, with certain of the ribs, spaced longitudinally of the head, mounting wheels for supporting the vacuum head at a predetermined distance from the bottom pool surface so that it will not scrape thereagainst.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved vacuum head made of flexible material reinforced transversely to be substantially rigid, while providing for longitudinal flexibility, and having a depending flange upon its edge defining a shallow suction chamber between the head and the pool bottom surface, and further provided with supporting wheels which space the depending edge of the head away from the pool bottom surface to prevent scraping thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a vacuum head for cleaning pool bottoms in accordance with the immediately preceding object and further having shallow ribs extending downwardly into the suction chamber from the under surface of the head to provide directing channels between the ribs and between the ribs and the edge flange.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification and the appended drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of vacuum head according to the present invention with the handle and suction tube connection broken off;

FIGURE la is a detail sectional view at the line 1a--1a of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of a vacuum head embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the broken lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a view in side elevation of the vacuum head of this invention following the contour of a curved pool surface.

The illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a molded body or platform 11 of general rectangular shape having an outer depending edge flange 1 2 therearound forming a shallow suction underchamber 13. Extending transversely of the platform 11 are upper short ribs 14, preferably molded integrally therewith, and upwardly directed elongated ribs 15, also preferably molded integrally with the platform 11. The ribs 15 are disposed in pairs to provide extensions 16 beyond the side edges of the platform 11, in which extensions 16 are pivotally mounted wheels 17 as by bolts 18. The vacuum head is provided with a central molded hub 19 open at the top and communicating at its bottom with the chamber 13, and ribs 21 at one side and 22 at the other side extend from the central hub 19 to the side edges of the platform 11, thus further rigidifying the platform and the hub. The hub 19 is adapted to be connected to a suction tube 23 connected to the pump in the circulatory system of a swimming pool to draw water through the tube 23, hub 19 and chamber 13 adjacent the bottom surface of the pool. Between the ribs 21 is pivotally mounted an operating handle 24, as by a pin or bolt 25, and the handle 24 is, as is customary, of considerable length to be manipulated by a workman standing at the edge of the pool.

It will be noted that the ribs 14, 15, 21 and 22 rigidify the body or platform 11 against flexing transversely, while permitting it to flex longitudinally, as shown in FIGURE 4. To hold the vacuum head against the bottom of the pool, weights are provided, as at 26', being generally T-shaped in cross section, as shown in FIG- URE 1a, and disposed between the paired ribs 15. The weights 26 have a central opening to receive a post 27 upstanding from and molded integrally with the platform body 11 and each weight 26 is held in place between its ribs 15 by a self-tapping screw and washer 30.

While the dimensions of the vacuum head according to this invention may vary widely with the whim or desire of the operator, one size that has been found convenient by applicant had a platform body 11 four and one-quarter inches wide by eleven and five-eighths inches long. With these dimensions, the transverse ribs may be approximately one-quarter inch thick and extend approximately five-eights of an inch above the top surface of the platform 11. The downward directed edge flanges 12 are about one-eighth inch below the under surface of the platform 11 and are spaced by the wheels 17 approximately one-eighth inch above the bottom surface of the pool, thus leaving a one-eighth inch access opening around the head through which water and pool bottom deposits may be sucked. The under surface of the platform 11 is then spaced approximately one-quarter of an inch from the bottom surface of the pool to form the chamber 13.

Since the vacuum head of this invention is flexible longitudinally, it is desirable to support it at several spaced points along its length to prevent the head sagging between supports into scraping engagement with the bottom surface of the pool. With the exemplified dimensions given above, it has been found that four sets of rollers spaced along the head are suflicient to support it substantially fiat and relatively uniformly spaced from the pool surface. It will be readily understood that with longer heads, a greater number of sets of wheels might be desired, but the four sets of wheels supporting opposite sides of the vacuum head have been found to be suflicient in the exemplification given.

In some instances, it may be desired to provide directional flow channels within the chamber 13 and for this purpose, the under surface of the platform body 11 may be provided with ribs 28 parallel to the opposite side edges of the head and extending downwardly into the chamber 13 for approximately one-sixteenth of an inch in the size exemplification given. These ribs 28 preferably terminate short of the opposite ends of the vacuum head and the central hub 19, as shown more particularly in the bottom plan view of FIGURE 2. These under surface n'bs tend to establish flow patterns as a plurality of channels through which the water moves from the edge of the vacuum head into the suction line 23.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the flexibility of the head has been somewhat exaggerated, but it will be seen that when the head moves to the sides of the pool, instead of scraping or chipping or otherwise marring the surface of the pool, the edge of the head rides up the curved surface, flexing the platform body 11 longitudinally while maintaining it substantially the same distance from the pool surface.

The vacuum head of this invention lends itself to clear economies of manufacture in the platform body, flanges, and ribs of the head being molded integrally in one piece from a plastic material of which polyethylene is only one of many which could be selected. Further, the provision of the weights 26 insures that after flexing, as in FIG- URE 4, the platform body 11 will return to conform to a flat surface of the pool as the force of the weights returns the platform to its normal position. This return is also assisted by the suction force on the under surface of the platform body.

While certain preferred embodiments of this invention have been specifically illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the invention is to be given its broadest interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A vacuum head for cleaning swimming pool bottoms comprising: a platform of relatively flexible plastic material having transverse ribs extending upwardly from its upper surface to rigidify the platform in a transverse direction while permitting longitudinal flexing thereof; a downwardly directed flange around the edge of said platform to form a shallow chamber at the under surface thereof; rollers supporting said platform with its edge flange spaced above the surface on whi h the rollers move; means providing a suction opening through the platform into said shallow chamber for connection to a suction line; and means for moving said vacuum head over a pool bottom to be cleaned. I

2. A vacuum head for cleaning swimming pool bottoms comprising: a platform of molded, relatively flexible plastic material having transverse ribs extending upwardly from its upper surface to rigidify the platform in a transverse direction while permitting longitudinal flexing thereof; a downwardly directed flange around the edge of said platform to form a shallow chamber at the under surface thereof; extensions on certain of said ribs beyond the platform edges to receive rollers thereat for supporting said platform with its edge flange spaced above the surface on which the rollers move; a suction tube through said platform opening into said chamber and adapted to be connected to a suction line; and means for securing a handle to said vacuum head for moving the same across a surface to be cleaned.

3. A vacuum head for cleaning swimming pool bottoms comprising: a platform of relatively flexible plastic material having transverse ribs extending upwardly from its upper surface to rigidify the platform in a transverse direction while permitting longitudinal flexing thereof; a downwardly directed flange around the edge of said platform to form a shallow chamber at the under surface thereof; rollers supporting said platform with its edge flange spaced above the surface on which the rollers move; means providing a suction opening through the platform into said shallow chamber for connection to a suction line; means for moving said vacuum head over a pool bottom to be cleaned; and flow directing ribs extending from the under surface of said platform into said chamber but spaced from the surface over which the head is supported by said rollers to establish flow direction patterns for the water drawn under the edge flanges and into the suction opening.

4. A vacuum head for cleaning swimming pool bottoms comprising: a platform of molded, relatively flexible plastic material having transverse ribs extending upwardly from its upper surface to rigidify the platform in a transverse direction while permitting longitudinal flexing thereof; a downwardly directed flange around the edge of said platform to form a shallow chamber at the under surface thereof; extension on certain of said ribs beyond the platform edges to receive rollers thereat for supporting said platform with its edge flange spaced above the surface on which the rollers move; a suction tube through said platform opening into said chamber and adapted to be connected to a suction line; and means for securing a handle to said vacuum head for moving the same across a surface to be cleaned, said platform being freely flexible in a longitudinaldirection so as to accommodate itself to curves in the surface over which it is rolled.

5. A vacuum head for cleaning swimming pool bottoms comprising: a platform of molded, relatively flexible plastic material having transverse ribs extending upwardly from its upper surface to rigidify the platform in a transverse direction while permitting longitudinal flexing thereof; a downwardly directed flange around the edge of said platform to form a shallow chamber at the under surface thereof; extension on certain of said ribs beyond the platform edges to receive rollers thereat for support ing said platform with its edge flange spaced above the surface on which the rollers move; .a suction tube through said platform opening into said chamber and adapted to be connected to a suction line; means for securing a handle to said vacuum head for moving the same across a surface to be cleaned, said platform being freely flexible in a longitudinal direction so as to accommodate itself to curves in the surface over which'it is rolled; and weights on said head and disposed between certain of said transverse ribs for insuring contact between head rollers and their supporting surfaces, particularly after the head has been flexed longitudinally by a curved surface over which it passes.

6. A vacuum head for cleaning swimming pool bottoms comprising: a platform of relatively flexible plastic material having transverse ribs extending upwardly from its upper surface to rigidify the platform in a transverse direction while permitting longitudinal flexing thereof; a downwardly directed flange around the edge of said platform to form a shallow chamber at the under surface thereof; rollers supporting said platform with its edge flange spaced above the surface on which the rollers move; means providing a suction opening through the platform into said shallow chamber for connection to a suction line; means for moving said vacuum head over a pool bottom to be cleaned; and flow directing ribs extending from the under surface of said platform into said chamber but spaced from the surface over which the head is supported by said rollers to establish flow direction patterns for the water drawn under the edge flanges and into the suction opening, said flow directing ribs extending generally longitudinally of the head platform and spaced from the head edge flanges in all directions.

7. A vacuum head for cleaning swimming pool bottoms comprising: a platform of relatively flexible plastic material having transverse ribs extending upwardly from its upper surface to rigidify the platform in a transverse direction while permitting longitudinal flexing thereof; a downwardly directed flange around the edge of said platform to form a shallow chamber at the under surface thereof; rollers supporting said platform with its edge flange spaced above the surface on which the rollers move; means providing a suction opening through the platform into said shallow chamber for connection to a suction line; means for moving said vacuum head over a pool bottom to be cleaned; and flow directing ribs extending from the under surface of said platform into said chamber but spaced from the surface over which the head is supported by said rollers to establish flow direction patterns for the water drawn under the edge flanges and into the suction opening, said flow directing ribs being located in different quadrants of the under surface of the plate and spaced from the edge flange and from the suction opening while extending in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the head.

8. A vacuum head for cleaning swimming pool bottoms comprising: a platform of molded, relatively flexible plastic material having transverse ribs extending upwardly from its upper surface to rigidify the platform in a transverse direction while permitting longitudinal flexing thereof; a downwardly directed flange around the edge of said platform to form a shallow chamber at the under surface thereof; certain of said ribs terminating substantially at the sides of the platform, other of said ribs extending in pairs beyond the edges of the platform; supporting rollers pivotally mounted between the paired rib extensions and of a dimension to hold the platform edge flange out of contact with the surface on which the rollers rest; means providing a suction opening through the platform into said shallow chamber for connection to a suction line; and means for moving said vacuum head over a pool bottom to be cleaned.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,640 1/1911 Spencer 15-4l5 3,008,160 11/1961 West 15-1.7 3,085,267 4/1963 Jacuzzi 15-1.7 3,108,298 10/1963 Gelinas l51.7

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. EDWARD L. ROBERTS, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. A VACUUM HEAD FOR CLEANING SWIMMING POOL BOTTOMS COMPRISING: A PLATFORM OF RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING TRANSVERSE RIBS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FORM ITS UPPER SURFACE TO RIGIDIFY THE PLATFORM IN A TRANSVERSE DIRECTION WHILE PERMITTING LONGITUDINAL FLEXING THEREOF; A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGE AROUND THE EDGE OF SAID PLATFORM TO FORM A SHALLOW CHAMBER AT THE UNDER SURFACE THEREOF; ROLLERS SUPPORTING SAID PLATFORM WITH ITS EDGE FLANGE SPACED ABOVE THE SURFACE ON WHICH THE ROLLERS MOVE; MEANS PROVIDING A SUCTION OPENING THROUGH THE PLATFORM INTO SAID HOLLOW CHAMBER FOR CONNECTION TO A SUCTION LINE; AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID VACUUM HEAD OVER A POOL BOTTOM TO BE CLEANED. 